Mattress frame elevating and lowering mechanism for cribs



Aug. 10, 1943. J, McNABB' ETAL 2,326,379 MATTRESS FRAME ELEVATING AND LOWERING mncnmxsu FOR cams Filed April 11, 1942 I 2 She ets-Sheet 1 2} L I ATTORNEY5 1943' w. J. MQNABB ET AL 2,326,

MATTRESS FRAME ELEVATING.AND LOWERING MECHANIM FOR CRIBS Filed April 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Fig.2

I N VEN TORS welter J-McJYabb,

A TTORNEYS Patented Aug; 10, 1943 :LOWERINGI M CHANIS oe; cams Walt'er J.McNabb and in-1am R, Cochrane, i nei lecauf,

'mechanism which not only includes manually actuated means to :raise and lower-zthecrib, but

is arranged with a manually control-led means {to apply a;.braking action against-lowering 'movement of the mattress frames a mechanism, as above, in which elevating mQVB-e ment ofthe mattress frameis accomplishedzfrom a foot pedal, whileiloweririg movement :accom-. plished from iauhand lever.

An additional'object of Ltheinventionis to pro vide an improved 'pedal :actuated mattress :frame end posts. The -fiexible"cablestiof wlflich there j 7 I are a pair .at each end, after passing about a 7 i A further objectnof this iinventi'onzis .toprovide pulley arrangementthe lowerepulley of which is shown at ti -extend lengthwisev of. the crib to connection with the operatingcor winch mechanism. lt is to the constructionofthisoperating mechanism that this invention is {directedand comprises the fol- 1v such operating mechanism lowing:

,j End plates -9 are secured to and ,depend irom theside ,panels,2,, 'adjacent one encl of theflcrib, I and a vertical back'plate 1' extends between and connects said end plates in; rigid relation,

the back plate 1i; adjacent its upper edge abut ting against'and: being securedto a, irame -por f V tic-n; l l r-oi the-endof thecrib.;- a

A horizontal-shaft -li is journaled in'and a 7 tends between the end plates 3 adjacent the elevatingimechanism which is operative to grad ually elevate the mattress frame with a mini mum of exertion :by the operator.

A further object of the inventi'on is to produce a simple and -inexpensi-ve "device and yet one which will be fexceeding'ly :effectiveiior thef purpose for which-it is designed. These objects we accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement oi parts as will fully appear :by a perusal of the following specification and :claims. f a I In the .drawings similar characters-10f reference indicate corresponding parts in thesevera'l .views: i

Figure-1 .is a sid'e elevation of the =mechanism as mounted below and extending between 'the frontand baok'panel's-of-acribu 'FigureZ is a cross of Fig. 1.

section '-taken' on line -2*2 Figure 3 'is a fragmentary elevation of the ratchet: clutch assembly, showing "the clutch disengaged.

Referring now more =pai-"ticularly -to the obaracters of reference-on the drawings, the improved mattress frame elevating and lowering mechanism is mounted in connection with a crib of substantially the same construction as shown .in the above identified patent, wherein the-crib includes end'posts 'i; side panels -2,- end panels 3 a vertically movable mattress 'frameifsuspended at its corners ibymeans of flexible cables -5 'connected at one --end toears '6 which project from said corners=into vertical pockets-1 in the ,upper end'thereof and inspaced relation in frolnt of the back plate lD;. th is shaft being additionally supported i'ntermediateits ends by; spaced bearing bI-ocksf:l,3. Between the Joearing blocks sembly whichlincludes a, cylindrical-;clutoh-- body .E 4i 'fixedin non-rotatable relation r onzsha ftwlfl,

. and-another cylindricallclutch'body l;5-rotatablv one'endas at 2 l in connection with an extension 22 depending. from one end'plate', andiextending,

from such, pivotal connection transversely of the cr-ibto'apoint adjacent and1be1ow the opposite andeslidably,mountedjonshaftl2 in end to end I,

relation with body I 4, vadjacent ends ofgbodi'es Y ES'Atand 5.5 being formed with cooperating'ratchet teethr'lfi. A--combination:.:compression anolftor- I sion'. springi ll surrounds-shaftilz and. is ioon-'--- nectedi a-t one end tothe ,outer end iof-the body l5:and at the [other end isconnected to the loorresponding-bearingb1ockil3. V

Asflexible cable l'tiis wouridaboutclutch'body iii-inv edrum-like "iashio'ngb'eing secured .atfone' end to said body. The other end portion .of

flexible cable is extends downwardlytoa point a below/the lower edge of back plate lfiwhere it V is connected with an eyezlaoni'a foot pedal slever 29 intermediate'the ends thereof. 'Ihe footp'edal -1ever-- is normally horizontal, being pivoted at end "plate? :This. foot pedal; lever is mounted so that its outer or foot-engaging end 23 is horizontally offset from plate -'9,"which permits a the operator :to' engage the pedal without striking the adjacent portions .of the control mechanism. A stopd l limits upwardmovement of the foot pedal lev'er; e

V A ratchet 25; whose teeth opposeitheteethof the ratchet c1utch,=- is fixedfonshaft 12'. at a p plate 10.

ing of the mattress. frame.

suitable point, a spring-pressed pawl 26 being pivoted on back plate I and'normally cooperating with ratchet 25 to prevent rotation thereof in a direction which would permit lowering of the mattress frame of the crib. Adjacent the ends of shaft l2 and close to end plates 9 said shaft is fitted with cable drums 21 about which v are wound in reverse relation the pairs of'fiexible cables which extend from opposite ends of the crib; the relation of cables 5 to drums 21 being such that when the mattress frame 4 is elevated the ratchet 25 prevents lowering thereof.

Another horizontal shaft 28 is journaledbelow shaft l2 and in substantially the same manner, although shaft 28 extends through one of the end plates 9 and therebeyond is fitted with a radial hand lever 29. A brake strap or band 30 is helically wound about cylindrical clutch body Hlintermediate its ends, one end of said brake strap being connected" with a length of flexible cable 3| whichleads to and winds about a drum 32 fixed on shaft 28 in vertically alined relation.

' The other end of' brake strap 30 is connected witha length of flexible cable 33 which extends downward to connection with a tension adjustment unit carried by a bracket'35-on the back A radial cam 36 is fixed on shaft 28 in vertical alinement with the outer end portion of clutch body 15, the latter'being formed with an annular groove -31 into which the cam 36, upon rotation of shaft 28 in a predetermined direction, is adapted to ride in a direction to'efiect separation of clutch bodies 14 and I5. S haft 28 also carries another radial cam '38 which is operative'to release 'pawl 26 fromratchet 25- immediately after theclutch has been disengaged by movement of cam 36. I

Operation 7 j The mattress'frame 4 is normally 1 lowered position and to elevate the same the operator readily seen that we have produced such a de--' vice as substantially fulfills the objects of the: invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detailthe present and preferred construction of the 7 device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail maybe resorted to as do not form a de-- 'parture from the spirit of the invention, as de-- fined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1'. In a crib a vertically movable mattress frame and manually actuated mechanism to raise, and to controllowering movement of said frame; said mechanism including a shaft rotatable in one direction to raise the frame and rotatable in the other direction to permit lowering of the frame, pedal actuated means to rotate the shaft in said one direction, and hand actuated'means to apply a braking action against rotation of the shaft in said other'direction. r

' 2."In' a crib avertically movable mattress frame and manually actuated mechanism to raise, and

to control lowering movement of said frame; said mechanism including a shaft rotatable in one direction to raise the frame and rotatable in the other direction to permit lowering of the frame,

pedal actuated means to rotate the shaft in said one direction,aratchet'and pawl unit in part onthe'shaft normally'operative to prevent rotation of the shaft in said other direction, and

hand actuated means to release said unit and apply a braking action against rotation of the shaft in said other direction.

3. In a crib avertically movable mattress frame and manually actuated mechanism to raise, and

places'a foot on pedal 23 and depresses the same, 7

which resultsin rotation of clutch body l4 and,

due to the direction which cable I8 is wound,

corresponding rotationof clutch body [4 fixed onshaft ll-rotating the latter and winding cables 5 about drum 21. As it requires several strokes of the foot pedal to fully elevatethe mattress frame, the operator, after each stroke,

releases the foot pedal, which results in clutch body' 15 running back or overrunning under the influence of spring 11 andirelativev to clutch body M; the ratchet .25 and pawl 21 them-as well as when the mattress-frame is in fully. elevated position-functioning to prevent lower-v Toi'lower 'the mattress frame, the operator graspshand lever 29 and swings the samein a direction to successively-engage cams 36 and 38 'with' groove 31 andratchet 25 respectively, re-

. sulting in separation of bodies [4 and I5 of the ratchet clutch assembly, and release of shaft l2 for rotation in a mattress frame lowering direc-' tion, The; mattress. frame, under: the weight of the occupant of. the crib, immediately begins a to lower, but lowered movement is. effectively controlled by the brake strap 30, whose tension is. then set by the operator by further swinging hand .lever 29 in said direction. When the mattress frame-rea'ches its lowered position, the hand lever 29 is released, whereupon all the parts resume their normal positions.

to control lowering movement of said frame; said mechanism'includingashaftrotatable in one di- 40 rection to raise the frame and rotatable in the other direction togpermit lowering- 'of'the frame,

releasable means cooperating with the shaft normally preventing rotation thereof in said other direction, manually actuatedmeans to-rotate the shaft in said one direction, and means including a common, manually actuated control element to release said first named means and apply a braking action against rotationof the-shaftin'said 1 other direction- ,4; In a crib a vertically movable mattress frame and manually actuatedmechanism to raise, and

rection.

' From the foregoing description it will b to control loweringmovement of said frame; said mechanism'including a shaft rotatable inone direction to raise the frameiand rotatable in the other direction to permit lowering of the frame, a vertically movable pedal mounted beneath said shaft, means between the pedal and shaft to ro. tate the latter in said one direction upon depres sion of the pedal, a pawl and ratchet unit in part on the shaft operative'to normally but releasably prevent rotation of the shaft in said other direction, a normally releasedbrake unit in part on the shaft, and manually actuated means to release said shaft rotating means and. thereafter release said pawl and ratchet unit, and to apply said brake unit whereby to exert a braking action against rotationof the shaft in said other di- 5. A device as in claim 4 in which said shaft rotating means comprises a ratchet clutch mounted on the shaft and including a drum-like clutch member arranged tooverrun in a direction opposite to. the holding direction of said pawl and ratchet unit, a flexible element extending between the pedaland said clutch member and being wound about and secured to the latter so as to rotate the same in a clutch driving direction upon depression of the pedalfand a spring operative to rotate said clutch memberin anoverrunning direct-ion upon raising-of the foot pedal.

6;A device as iniclaim 4 in whichjsaid shaft' rotating. means comprises a ratchet; clutch mountedon the shaft and including'a drum-like clutch member arranged to overrun in a direction. opposite to the. holding direction vof said pawl and ratchet unit, aflexiblelelem'ent extending between thepedaland saidclutch member and being wound about'andsecured to the latter so as to rotate the same ina clutch driving di- V said brake unit comprising a brake strap Wound about said other clutch, means dead-endingone end of said strap; said hand actuated means in: cluding a hand lever mounted exteriorly of the crib, and a pull'connection between' said lever Y I and the other end of said strap.

'7. In; a crib a vertically movable mattress frame and manually actuated mechanism to raise, and to controllowering movement of said frame; said mechanism including"- a shaft rotati- V able in one direction to raise the'frame' and" ed substantially parallel to butspaced froni said lever on'the outer end of said other shaft, a ratchet clutchunit mounted. on "said first shaftfif apawl normally but releasably cooperating with Q Y saidseparate ratchet and means between said 7 first shaft and other shaft operative 1-upon preengaging pawl, and to apply a braking action; against rotation of saidfir'st shaftins'aid other frame and m'anually actuated, mechanism to V frame; said-mechanism including a shaft rotat-d 7 '7 2o" r r rotatable in'the'other direction to permit lowert c ing of the frame, another shaftrotatably mountrotatable in the other direction to permit lower-Q 3 ing of the frame, a ratchet clutchunit'mounted I on said shaft and "operative to overrun in said other direction, a separate opposed ratchet on the shaft, a pawl normally. but releasably cooperating with said separate ratchet preventing V rotation of the shaft'in'said other direction, a

vertically movable foot pedal mounted below said shaft, connecting means between said pedal and ratchet clutchunit' arranged to, rotate the latter in a driving direction upon depression of tioning successively upon rotation of saidfother: shaft in a'predetermine'ddirection; a'brake unit the pedal and to permitsaid unit to overrun upon raising of the'pedal, a spring operative to cause said unit to so overrun, a normally released brake unit on the shaft, and manually actuated means to release said clutch unit andsaid'pawljfrom the separate ratchet, and to apply the'bra'ke unit. c

frame; said mechanism including a. shaft rotatable in one direction 'to' raise the frame and said separate ratchet, a cam on said other shaft v arranged to'engageand disengage said-clutch unit, another cam on said other shaft arranged leased brake', band; a drum on said other shaft i in substantial alinement with said brakejunit, a) v flexible element connected at one; endftofsaid brake band in operative relation and wound 40' rotation of said other ,shaft in a direction: to)

forming the drum of the brake .unit. a Y

rotatable in rthecother directionto permitflowerf ing of the framaanother shaft rotatably, mounte 1 f r first shaft, a foot pedal .mounted'forl vertical movementibeneath said-shafts, an'expo'sed hand determined rotation of the latter. to successively f l disengage said clutch unit and separate ratchet direction. v 9. In a crib a vertically i'movable 'mattress raise, and to control lowering movement of said 4 j able in one direction to 'raise the fram'e a'nd .j

ed substantially parallel ;to but spaced from said first shaft;' a foot pedahmounted for vertical movement beneath said shafts, an exposed'hand lever'on the outer end ofksaidzother shaft/a ratchet clutch unit mounted, on said first shaft, 1 i a pawl-normally but releasably cooperatingfwith" '5 to engage and release said pawl, said camsfuncon said-first shaft and including a normally reabout and connected to said drum'whereby, uponl engagefsaid cams, to-actuate the brakeunit; ,10. A device as in claim 9 in whichisaidiclutch Q unit includes an axially movable: body member 1 of'cylinder form; said memberhaving mamalar groove therein for the reception of thefcorre spending cam. l 11. A deviceas in claim 9 in which said clutch I 7 {unit includes a body member: fixed on lsa id first a 5'0 shaft, said bodyfmemberbeing cylindrical and, 

